Daily Archives: July 29, 2018
2019 Infiniti QX50 Gets Fancy Autograph Package For Interior
The 2019 Infiniti QX50 has wowed industry experts and automobile fans because of its variable combustion engine that changes the compression ratio to maximize power and fuel efficiency. The engine could also change between Atkinson and regular combustion cycles, use either a multi-point or direct injection, and features an electric motor that controls the variable compression ratio.
If you’re not a fan of engines and grease and fuel efficiency, then maybe you might want to know how the QX50 will look inside? You won’t be disappointed as Infiniti just announced its newest Autograph Package that will transform the cabin of the QX50 into something akin to a luxury beach resort, thanks to a mixture of the latest Pantone color trends.
According to Infiniti, the interior will start with warmer color tones as the rich chocolate brown replicates wood applications in a beach resort and the surrounding trees. The creamy off-white will represent the sand on the beach while the highlights of cooler dark navy blue on the center console will remind us of ocean water.
The “proper balance” between warm and cool colors will create a “comfortable, yet invigorating environment.”
The cream, brown, and blue colors used in the package came from Pantone. The colors are called Coconut Milk, Emperador, and Sailor Blue, respectively. The Sailor Blue is applied to the center console, dash, and doors. The Emperador is seen on the steering wheel, leather-wrapped dash top and doors, the outer portions of the seats, and the lower door portions. Coconut Milk, on the other hand, is used on the dash color and the seat leather.
This is a special $2,000 option for the range-topping QX50 Essential trim level. Aside from the $2,000 Autograph Package, you would also have to pay $7,500 for the Sensory package and $550 for the ProAssist package, both of which are required. In total, you’re looking at a price tag of $54,395 for the most fashionable car ever.
Hyundai Readies Release of i30 Fastback N
Hyundai has been teasing us with the launch of its newest i30 Fastback N for quite some time now. Whether it is the South Korean automaker that’s truly excited about it, we do not know. What we do know is that the model is finally in its final stages of development, and it will soon join the i30 N and the Veloster N when it debuts later this year.
Hyundai took the Fastback testing around different terrains and road surfaces in Europe. Of course, the prime location to test any vehicle is on the Nurburgring Nordschleife, where the company has its own technical center. There, the model is currently undergoing rigid testing and evaluations for performance and durability before it is announced and launched to the public.
The prototype showed that the fastback will have a sloped roofline, a bold rear lip, strong character lines, and the automaker’s signature Cascading grille. Under the hood, it should have the same engine as the i30 N hatch. This means the Fastback would be powered by a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that produces 246 horsepower. A Performance package, which we are not sure yet will be offered, can take that output to 271 horses.
The problem is that if you’re living in the United States, you probably won’t see the i30 Fastback N. That makes sense considering Hyundai never brought the i30 N here.
Maybe a petition is in order? Don’t fret. The standard i30 hatch is very similar and probably closely related to the Elantra GT, which we have here. The Fastback body style might be introduced to the US audience through the Elantra lineup. That will happen, of course, if Hyundai North America sees the demand for it.
If it’s any consolation, we are getting the Veloster N, which received positive reviews during its first run.
2019 Lexus ES Pricing Starts At $40,525
The 2019 Lexus ES sedan is the seventh generation of the model and the good thing about this is we now finally know how much the starting price would be for the popular sedan. According to Lexus, the model will start from $40,525 for the ES 350, an increase of $550 over the outgoing car. The price includes a $1,025 destination charge.
There are no specifics yet on what features the ES 350 will hold, although we’re pretty sure it will come with a 3.5-liter V6 engine that produces 302 horsepower and 267 pound-feet of torque. This will be paired with an 8-speed automatic transmission, which will come standard across all variants.
We still don’t know if an all-wheel-drive system will be available for the ES, which means we’re spinning on a front-wheel exclusively for now. All ES sedans will pack the Lexus Safety System suite of active safety features, which include automatic emergency braking, pedestrian and bicycle detection, adaptive cruise control, road sign recognition, and rear object and pedestrian detection during parking.
For the first time ever in a Lexus, the ES will also come with the Apple CarPlay.
If you’re looking for an environment-friendly Lexus ES, you’ll be happy to know that there would be a 2019 ES 300h hybrid that will cost $510 less than the outgoing car. It would have a starting price of $42,335. It will be powered by a 2.5-liter inline-4 running the Atkinson cycle mated to an electric drive system for a combined output of 215 horses.
Lexus said that the EPA released the rating for the 300h. It is rated at 43 mpg city, 45 mpg highway, and 44 mpg combined, making it the most fuel-efficient luxury vehicle without a plug-in hybrid system.
The ES 350 F Sport would be priced at $45,060. This marks the first time that an F Sport option will be offered for the ES model. This sportier variant will bring to the table a rear spoiler, 19-inch wheels, adaptive dampers, and a Sport+ option for the drive mode selector.